My fibromyalgia story

Close your eyes and imagine the following…

You wake up in the morning with pain all over
your body. Your muscles are stiff and your hands feel tingly. You feel a
possible migraine coming with muscles in your neck and back aching. Trying to
open your eyes is a challenge, it feels like you haven’t slept for a week when
in actual fact you were asleep for more than eight hours. It feels like your entire
body is bruised, with even a simple touch feeling like a stabbing wound. You
get up and don’t know what to wear – mostly due to the fact that tight-fitting
clothes only makes you feel even more distressed. Trying to eat something in
the morning is the worst. You have gained a few pounds and most foods just make
the pain worse. Now get ready for the day ahead, put on a smile and do some
work.

Welcome to the last six years of my life.

About five months ago I was diagnosed with
fibromyalgia, after suffering for six years with the above mentioned symptoms.
I probably went to 3 general practitioners and 6 specialists over the six year
time period. Fibromyalgia is an auto immune and rheumatic condition characterized by muscular
or musculoskeletal pain with stiffness and localized tenderness at specific
points on the body with additional symptoms. Symptoms sometimes begin after a
physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In
other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering
event. When I was diagnosed, it was both a blessing and a shock. This isn’t something
that will just go away in a few years or something that I will outgrow – oh no.
I am stuck with this, for life!

So, being a Masters student, research plays an extremely important role in my
life. I decided to do some research about fibromyalgia and find out how I can
cope with this disease. This is something where I have to make an entire lifestyle
change. People with fibromyalgia should exercise at least once per day –
something that isn’t always that easy with pain and muscular stiffness taking
over. Another really important thing is to follow a fibro-friendly diet. Sugar
and carbohydrates are the two main things I have to cut out and believe me, it
is not as easy as it sounds. It can also become an emotional thing when I’m
going out with friends to a restaurant, because what can I eat that won’t make
me sick? Most people who know me will
tell you that they never would have suspected that I have a chronic pain
disorder. I never really told anyone of the pain or showed it in any way. I
always tried to be friendly and laugh – even though it sometimes feel like I
was dying of pain.

The main
reason why I’m doing a blogpost about fibromyalgia is not to get sympathy – at all.
I would like to inform people about this disease and give some advice… First of all, fibromyalgia is a disease that cannot
be seen, yet, people judged me if I wasn’t happy and talkative all the time.
You never know what someone is going through in their life – don’t judge so easily.
Secondly, each and every one of us are fighting some kind of battle in our
lives – try to understand it when someone talks to you about it and don’t let
them feel like they are overreacting. And lastly, no matter what happens in
your life, surround yourself with people that try to understand you and support
you in every way they possibly can.

So, no matter
what life throws at you, remember that when you think positive about it, you’re
attitude towards the problem it will make coping with it, so much easier. I
would like to finish off with a quote that inspires me every day and helping me
cope with fibromyalgia…

“You must
learn a new way to think, before you can master a new way to be.” – Marianne Williamson

I would just
like to give a special thanks to the stunning Ulricke Laubscher from Wooden
Lace, who spoiled me on my birthday with the stunning flower child crown and
for always believing in me and my dreams. I would also like to give a special
thanks to Izelri Marx, my friend and photographer for making this photoshoot so
much fun and to Marnus Botha, who helped with the video – you are so amazing
and talented in what you do.